Cleveland Welding Company Roadmaster

[browngw80]

Hello everyone, new on this forum. Most of my cherished bikes are from the 60s and 70s but yesterday I was gifted a what I believe is a 1946 CWC Roadmaster step through bicycle. It has been "yard art" for a while but I think I can make it rideable once again. With it came a 20" children's solid tired bike likely made by Snyder around 1941. Both are rough examples, but they were headed for the scrap heap. Both were acquired decades ago in Buffalo NY by a friend here in our small town

.

 

[Balloonoob]

Free is always nice. There's some good parts on the ladies CWC bike. Sure you can get it rolling. Any clean up or service done to the parts will be helpful if they end up on a different bike down the road. Personally I wouldn't spend time on either frame because I would put the compatible parts on a boys bike. Have fun with them any direction you go.

 

[Superman1984]

Clean, Grease & buy a TRM tank If you wanna keep the girly bikes. I eventually will get 1 of the bug eye tanks as they can fit quite a few "step through" frames Pretty Nicely to dress'em to look like a guys bike

 

[browngw80]

I can see that this is not likely to be a forum that I would like to participate in from the first two comments. It's a "girls" bike, break it for parts and try to make it look like a "guys" bike by adding sheet metal. To start with why are you telling me what to do with it in the first place? I don't remember asking. I was hoping someone might offer encouragement, show some of their finished projects or offer a little history. Forums have a very annoying habit of assuming new members are dummies in the hobby. I likely have restored, bought and sold, own and ridden more bikes than many on these pages.

 

[Superman1984]

I can see that this is not likely to be a forum that I would like to participate in from the first two comments. It's a "girls" bike, break it for parts and try to make it look like a "guys" bike by adding sheet metal. To start with why are you telling me what to do with it in the first place? I don't remember asking. I was hoping someone might offer encouragement, show some of their finished projects or offer a little history. Forums have a very annoying habit of assuming new members are dummies in the hobby. I likely have restored, bought and sold, own and ridden more bikes than many on these pages.

With what You just said I don't care to talk to you or explain any further. What we were saying wasn't disrespectful but YOU Know it all already. Good Luck Maryann

 

[Balloonoob]

Enjoy the bikes. Hopefully they turn out just how you want them. Anything is better than the junk pile. This forum is a fantastic resource with some of the best folks on the internet. Welcome and good luck.

 

[Freqman1]

A lot of knowledge here but it seems you already have preconceived notions of what forums are. That said, while I may not have your depth of experience, I've been around a few balloon tire bikes myself. The girls CWC is largely complete and correct except for the seat and it will obviously need grips. Neither of these are difficult or what I call expensive-grips $35, rider quality seat $75. I would not go for a full restoration the plating bill alone would exceed the cost of the finished bike by double. I'd strip the paint and do a nice aerosol job if you don't have a compressor and gun. Most of the components e.g. hubs, bearings, etc... can probably be cleaned and reused. If not it is common stuff.

These bikes are not rare or expensive--a really nice original would top out at about $250 if it ha a desirable color scheme. A quality restoration of this bike would hit at least $1500 and likely more. In the end it might get $300. The juvenile bike I'd likely keep as yard art unless you have a child/grand child that may enjoy it. Of course you may have already known all this and I just wasted some time/bandwidth but that's just my 2c. V/r Shawn

 

[tacochris]

The guys here, you know what they respect? Results......action......success in the face of adversity.
If you would have continued this thread with a break down, parts cleaned, maintenance, work....you would have seen that this thread is for what it is and thats a group of guys who love vintage bikes even girls bikes from time to time. If you were looking for motivation and encouragement you would have found it if you would have waited and let people see that knowledge in motion.
Girls bikes, 4-door impalas, long bed trucks....they will never be as popular as their more popular counterparts and that's a fact of collecting you cant change nor can you change folks feelings about it.
We all see rusty girls bikes every single day, multiple times a day.....what we dont see enough is hard work, perseverance and results.

You wanna do something awesome? Blow that girls bike apart, make it amazing and post pics along the way.....we love watching that, girls bike or not.

 

[Superman1984]

The guys here, you know what they respect? Results......action......success in the face of adversity.
If you would have continued this thread with a break down, parts cleaned, maintenance, work....you would have seen that this thread is for what it is and thats a group of guys who love vintage bikes even girls bikes from time to time. If you were looking for motivation and encouragement you would have found it if you would have waited and let people see that knowledge in motion.
Girls bikes, 4-door impalas, long bed trucks....they will never be as popular as their more popular counterparts and that's a fact of collecting you cant change nor can you change folks feelings about it.
We all see rusty girls bikes every single day, multiple times a day.....what we dont see enough is hard work, perseverance and results.

You wanna do something awesome? Blow that girls bike apart, make it amazing and post pics along the way.....we love watching that, girls bike or not.

Well said. Exactly how I felt. With his attitude I gave him some back. Don't know why he's here if he's already a bike master. I came to learn, hear opinions both good or bad & figure out what's worth putting much effort into. I have cheap enough projects or klunkers but I don't feel so attached to them anymore. Some still have sentimental value = 1st vintage bike, 1st skip tooth etc. The moment you Know Everything You might as well kick the bucket. Life can offer you no more knowledge

 

[tacochris]

Well said. Exactly how I felt. With his attitude I gave him some back. Don't know why he's here if he's already a bike master. I came to learn, hear opinions both good or bad & figure out what's worth putting much effort into. I have cheap enough projects or klunkers but I don't feel so attached to them anymore. Some still have sentimental value = 1st vintage bike, 1st skip tooth etc. The moment you Know Everything You might as well kick the bucket. Life can offer you no more knowledge

The reason I came to this site in the first place way back in 2016 was to learn about a bike I had just dug out of a barn and learn I did....but I took that knowledge and i ran with it. I dug and read and laid in bed at night and researched and learned and grew and changed and understood. I was already into the bike hobby when I joined this site by many many years and I knew alot already but I came here understanding that even as much as I knew, there was still SO much I didnt know. I am learning from this site every single day....I read posts about bikes I dont even like because I just want to learn and grow and be as well-rounded as I can.
This has allowed me to teach other folks and boy that is a good feeling and I love helping.